Middle Passage
Definition
The Middle Passage refers to the second leg of the triangular trade route where enslaved Africans were transported across the Atlantic Ocean to be sold in the Americas. Conditions during this journey were notoriously brutal.
Analogy
Think of it like being forced onto a roller coaster ride that you didn't want to go on, but instead of lasting for just a few minutes, it lasts for months with terrible conditions.
Related terms
Transatlantic Slave Trade: This term refers to the overall system within which Middle Passage was one part - specifically, it was one leg of the journey slaves were forced to make from Africa to America.
Triangular Trade: This term describes how goods (including slaves) moved between Europe, Africa, and America. The Middle Passage is named for its position as the middle leg of this three-part journey.
Slave Ships: These are vessels specifically designed or adapted for transporting slaves across oceans under horrific conditions. They played an integral role in carrying out Middle Passage.
"Middle Passage" appears in:
Subjects (2)
Study guides (2)
Practice Questions (6)
What was the Middle Passage?
Which of the following accurately describes the experiences of enslaved Africans during the Middle Passage?
What was the Middle Passage?
What was the impact of the Middle Passage on enslaved Africans?
What were conditions like for enslaved Africans during the Middle Passage?
Which primary source provides a perspective on the horrors experienced during Middle Passage written by Alexander Falconbridge?
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